Brighton and Hove City Council's Conservative group describe the number of people prosecuted for Fly-tipping in the city as 'feeble'

A council has prosecuted two people for fly-tipping in the past three years – and nobody in the past 12 months.

The Conservative group on Brighton and Hove City Council is calling on the local authority to take action against what they are describing as a “daily problem”.

Councillor Graham Cox has led the call for greater action after asking for a list of prosecutions at last week’s full council meeting.

Council officers responded by stating just one prosecution had been secured in 2011/12, one in 2012/13 and none in 2013/14.

The Argus asked the council how many reports had been received of fly tipping over the same period. However, they referred the request to the Freedom of Information officer, who has up to 20 working days to reply.

Coun Cox said: “It would be interesting to find out but I think it will be in the thousands. I personally must have reported 50.

“Councillors of all parties receive complaints about fly-tipping on an almost daily basis and it is pretty feeble that the current administration has been only able to mount two prosecutions in the last three years when the problem has been getting worse.”

Coun Cox, whose ward is Westbourne, added: “Some locations are subject to repeated fly-tips and it is therefore a relatively easy matter to mount observations and catch those responsible.

“They should be making examples of a few people and that would put others off doing the same. The punishments for fly tipping can be quite severe.

“They can be quite large fines so it would certainly put others off.”

A council spokesman said it was difficult to bring prosecutions as they rely on witnesses to come forward.

He said: “It’s usually not obvious who has carried out the fly tip. “By their nature fly tippers dump things in secret, typically after dark when there are few or no people about.”

He added that fly tipping next to bins or in alleyways was dealt with quickly and that staff were raising awareness of the issue.

He added: “If people put any items on the pavement for others to pick up and reuse – including electrical items, furniture etc – they are fly tipping.

“These items should be kept on your property and advertised through signs, newspapers or websites.”

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